Ryder in the Wind
by Leverne
Summary: ON HOLD. Ryder Mann is on her way to Los Angeles to see if she can find her mother and maybe make it on her own. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

This is just a idea I got, wanted to see if I actually will be able to finish a fan fiction. Well, we'll see.  
Um, as always I'll eagerly await reviews. Let me know if you think I should continue or just let it be for the moment.

Thanks and Enjoy!

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Prologue.  
Ryder Mann. That's the least out standing name in a crowd you can find. Yet somehow, that name stuck with people after meeting her. Ryder Mann. Eighteen, fresh out of high school and no plans of staying where she was raised. She had two older brothers, Mark and Scott, both heaven-send according to her father and his new girlfriend. Their mom had left when Ryder was three, her father blaming her, cause he didn't want to see that it was because of him, and her brothers blamed her cause their father did. She was the spitting image of her mother when she entered her teens, golden locks that reached the middle of her back, big brown eyes, a curvy body with a little meat and a feisty mood. Her father and brothers had never been subjected to said mood but seen a few times from far away. She was very lonesome and not all that caring concerning what people thought, especially since the people that should've loved her the most left her. 

She was singing to the drivers radio that sounded through the silent bus, she suspected that the old driver turned up the volume a few hours back when she'd started humming, cause he was glancing at her at times with a small quirk of the lips. She had her biggest bag next to her, barely taking up the seat, packed with clothes and the few photos she owned. She had a jean jacket thrown over the bag and a small piece of paper sticking out of the breast pocket. She'd accidentally come across it when her father had told her to clean the attic while he and the boys went out for Scott's football game. She'd sighed as usual but trudged up the stairs to the dingy old attic while her brothers rushed down the stairs and out to the fine weather July had to offer. In the corner, furthest in the room, under three more boxes and a very unsanitary blanket, she found a little book with a stack of letters. The book was her parents old yearbook and she'd found out later by all the greetings that it was her fathers. She'd smiled when she read her mothers inscription:

"_Well, to tell you the truth I am surprised you came this far. I mean, little Jamie. I remember first time I met you, you came running from those bullies in that awful hair d__ue (happy you got rid of it though) and straight into me and managed to strike me in the fall. If I hadn't been so captivated with your eyes I would've helped those bullies kick your ass. But I am happy they chased you, they helped me get struck with love. I'll always treasure that moment within me. Love, Katrina."_

She'd snorted when she found a picture of said hair due and stared a long time at the picture that said _'Katrina Sade and James Mann' . _They looked at each other, both with radiating smiles and sparkling eyes. She'd never seen her father so lucky, their wedding photo barely competing, and her mother had been beautiful in her teens.

She looked out the bus window sighing and scoffing to herself how fitting it was with the bleak weather outside, matching her mood. She ignored the drivers looks in the rear view mirror to start singing again, and glanced at the letter she'd found. It was from her mother.

"_Hello James. _

_How are things? The boys? Ryder? My life has finally been straightened and I'm settled in Los Angeles. Fitting, considering the unofficial name is City of Lost Angels, don't you think? I hate the way things ended and I hope that you're happy, like we used to be, with our children and your new love. I got your latest letter, mom send it forward to me, and of course I forgive you. I need to forgive you, otherwise we can't move forward and be happy. And I need to be happy. That's why I'm writing you. I want to see the kids again. I know I left you and them, I'm not gonna sugarcoat my deed either by blaming you, but I want to see them. Meet them so I can talk to them. Mikes thirteen now right, and Scott's fifteen. Little Ryder is eight. Please just ask them if they want to come and visit me. I can't wait to see them again. I miss you too, I'd be happy to see a friendly face from the past. Just, ask them and let me know. _

_Your friend, Kat."_

Eight. She'd been eight years old when he'd stopped writing back to her. Or he wrote back and lied, telling her that they didn't want to see her. There had been a address too. The one she was on her way to check up on. She'd left the house yesterday, her father and brothers had yet again been away on some male bonding trip and she'd decided that it was time. She took a deep breath and glanced up to see the old driver looking at her worriedly, Ryder dared a small reassuring smile but only felt something wet. She wiped off her tears with her fingers and leaned back to look out the window again. _Los Angeles, here I come._

Chapter One.

She sighed and looked around in the little diner. This was the only job she'd been able to get, and then only cause she reminded the old lady of her old Bessy. Bessy was still alive, and Bessy was a dog. Ryder had frowned but smiled gratefully when she'd gotten the job. It was very small, but thankfully it had air-condition so the climate was bearable. It was the typical diner, everybody was welcome and grease came in no extra charge. She smiled at tree girls in her age that seemed to be deep in conversation about "Trent's fine ass" and something that sounded like "Toretto". She shook her head and felt giddy when the clock dinged six.

"I'm off Susy, see you Wednesday" she smiled at the old lady who was petting her little poodle. The lady spared her a little smile and Ryder glanced down at the little white dog insulted at being associated with the thing. She sent them both a fake smile that showed her teeth and threw her apron toward the hanger and jumped in the air when she heard a grumble. She swung around and laughed at the young man in front of her. Samuel Hasting. He was tall and well built, very intimidating and had made things very hard for her in the beginning but was now very protective of her. She'd accidentally hit him right in the face with her apron as he came from the diner with a tray of old dishes. Half of the previous chocolate mousse was now attached to his red hair and splashed across his previous 'Kizz' sweater. Ryder pasted a tutting look on her face. She shook her head and gave him a disappointed face.

"Youth today. Look at that-" she pointed to his shirt and almost dropped her persona at his ludicrous look "-such a waste." He slowly raised his eyes from his shirt and growled.

"I'm giving you ten seconds head start, starting NOW!" Ryder laughed loudly and ran to get her jacket and continued out the diner, just as she was by the door she heard Sam's heavy steps and she shrieked, Sam growling in response. The guests around the diner just glanced at the before returning to their business. Ryder was the only one who got along with Sam, even miss Susy, the old lady, couldn't talk to him. Ryder made a triumphant dance just outside the diner door and stuck her tongue out at Sam who was glaring at her by the threshold.

"Don't get cocky dear-" miss Susy yelled and gave her dog a bone "-his shift ends in five minutes." Sam smirked at her triumphantly and Ryder gaped before turning and running to her bus. She whooped when she saw her bus and hurried up the small bus stairs and pulled the shift to close the doors.

"I need you to drive right now Oscar. Hurry!" Just as the middle aged man put the gear in Sam banged on the bus doors. Oscar stared at Ryder who smiled sheepishly and made faces in the back window as Oscar drove away. She smiled triumphantly as Sam stopped his pursuit of the bus. She mumbled swear words when she saw Sam mouth: "See you Wednesday".

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Well? What ya think?  
Continue? Scrap it and just return to my pot of coffee? 

Review please!


	2. Chapter 2

Well, here ya go. It's not very long, I'm really sorry about that. Hopefully when my mind works more fully and I don't have so much other things I'll get it more together.

Enjoy!

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Chapter two.

Ryder groaned and wiggled on her seat in the exaggerated living room. Everything in this room was exaggerated. There were three tables, one in the middle which she was in front of at the moment, one to the right as you step in through the door and a small bench in the opposite corner furthest in. All the containers containing pencils were over fulled, and there were five on each table. Three small two seat couches stood against the three walls, one to each wall, and two frilly chairs stood against the middle table, one which she were occupying. The walls were covered with paintings of, in her opinion, disgusting pink bunnies and flowers.

She stood as she heard slow hesitant steps behind her and the clirring from a tea service.

She smiled politely at the old Mrs Lloyd. Mrs Lloyd were the one who owned the house Ryder rented her apartment in. She had been passing Mrs Lloyd's door on her way to her own apartment when the old woman bustled her in and made sure that she stayed for a cup of tea and a biscuit.

"Can I help you Mrs Lloyd?" Without waiting for a reply she took the tray and placed it on the table and smiled at the old lady who took a hold of Ryder's arm and squeezed it a little unnerving. She poured them each a cup of tea and Ryder clenched her jaw when she smelt the putrid steam from her cup. Her smile didn't waver however and when Mrs Lloyd inquired why she didn't drink she apologetically answered: "It's still hot."

For Forty three minutes and approximately seventeen seconds, Ryder sat still in the uncomfortable chair and listened to the older womans constant yapping, her poor William who died in a war and the reputation she got as she was pregnant with no husband to show. Ryder fought the urge to ask if she ever really married since there were no ring on her finger nor pictures on any of the several tables or walls. She smiled and dug her toes to the ground in aggravation when she heard Mrs Lloyd start up on her childhood friend Annabelle who were the first to make sure her son and herself were ridiculed.

"I am sorry Mrs Lloyd but I have to rush off, but I thank you diligently for your hospitality and the tea." Ryder felt bad for interrupting but she noticed the ever going fire in the old womans eyes. She stood and smiled.

"Do you want me to get you something when I run by the store later?" _'Some sense or drinkable tea?' _Mrs Lloyd patted Ryder's hand and started putting her china together with quivering loins that comes with old age.

"I would love some flour dearer, Charles loves my bread I make for him." Ryder smiled sadly but nodded at the truly good heart the senile woman had.

"I'll run and get it right away Mrs Lloyd. Thank you again." She pushed the knob on the door and stepped out in the corridor with a last smile to the woman and hurried up the stairs to her own apartment. She sighed happily at the gold numbers in front of her '138' and fished out her keys to open her door. She merely rushed in to get her cell-phone she'd forgotten in the morning and called to check up her 'New message' as she locked her door again.

"_Hey Ridinghood. Just the handsomest man ever calling, haven't heard from you in two weeks and hope you're not forgetting me now that you're off in L.A. Call me when you can Red, bye. This is the big bad wolf by the way."_

Ryder snorted at first sound of her old friend Chris and the nickname he'd come up with for her. He was a singer, away with a band after being discovered one night at a small cafeé and he'd been given the chance to tour with a upcoming band and she hadn't seen him for eight months. She closed her phone and stuffed it in her front pocket, the same with her keys and then walked off to the supermarket.

She sighed heavenly when she walked in to the cool store and smirked amused when she saw a small group of boys hanging over the freezer in hope to cool off.

"See something you like baby?" Ryder startled and looked around her to see that the guy who the voice belonged to hadn't talked to her, but to another girl a short distance away. She was fair looking with a Spanish look over her, long straight dark brown hair and brown eyes that looked at the guy agitated.

"Yeah-" the girl started and Ryder saw the guy smirk "-the fruit loops is right behind you." Ryder grinned but her face froze when she noticed three more guys appear beside the tall black haired man who gave the girl a nasty leer. Ryder shook her shoulders and braced herself before she slowly walked up to them, finding the girl looking around herself worriedly.

"Hey sweetie-" she let her voice drop a few octaves in a try to imitate a man lesbian and kept eye contact with the girl as she approached and laid her arm around her shoulders "-you got my fruit loops?" She smirked to herself and was relieved to see the girl catch on and put her own arm around Ryder's waist.

"I was going to but I was interrupted." They both looked at the four guys who was standing there gaping at them. Ryder raised her eyebrows as the guys failed to response and she straightened slightly in agitation.

"Well then gentlemen, care to step aside so we can get my loops and then we'll be on our way." The black haired guy smirked and Ryder felt the girl beside her tense.

"Now now miss, we all know you're not together. Little miss here has her boyfriend home waiting for her." Ryder nodded stonily but kept her arm around the girl protectively.

"Well, then there shouldn't be any need for you then. She already has a love so thanks anyway." The black haired guy glared at her with a sneer and just as Ryder felt her whole body tense, an elder man appeared and gave the four guys hostile looks.

"Do we have a problem here Liam?" Ryder found herself relaxing at sight of the big man, looking as if he were an old military veteran and tuned out as the men conversed. In the end the guys departed while handing out glowers to the old man, the girl beside her and to Ryder.

The girl beside her smiled at the old man and Ryder stepped away from the girl with a small nod to them both.

"Thanks for the help, I didn't know my life was such an open book." Ryder smiled sympathetic at the bite in the girls words and shrugged.

"Glad to be of help, didn't have time to think about it before I was walking over". The girl laughed lightly and held her hand out.

"I'm Mia." Ryder smiled and shook her hand.

"Ryder." Mia smiled and then turned to the old man.

"Thank you Harry, what would we do without you?" The man smiled and gave them both a smirk after shaking Ryder's hand.

"Well, your brother and Bri would've taken turns beating me to a pulp if I hadn't done something so believe me; it was all from selfish reasons." Ryder snorted and nodded goodbye to the two as she picked up her basket again and a few more things before paying and returning home to Mrs Lloyd and after that, to her own little apartment.

Tuesday morning she spent by sleeping, feeling anxiety over not having looked for another job and then circling new possible jobs in the paper under "looking for a job" section. She sighed and looked at herself in the mirror Wednesday midday. She had her mascara and concealer on, she looked at her cheeks condescendingly.

"Oh will you stop it! He won't be that bad. You can out smart him, you are Ryder Mann." She stared into her own eyes with that hard stare she always used when trying to convince somebody over something. In the end, she clenched her jaw and made a angry and annoyed sigh-groan and stomped out to her hallway and grabbed a small dark brown leather bag and her blue jean jacket. She tapped her foot as she locked her door and threw her keys down her bag so it lay with her cell phone and a ink pen clasping a few folded papers she used for spur of the moment writing.

She smiled at Oscar who raised his eyebrows at her when she merely gave him a small smile instead of the loud and obnoxious 'Hello-speech' she usually made. She sunk down her seat and felt her stomach tightening and tightening the closer they came to the coffee place and toward her, now, vengeful coworker. Samuel Hastings.

"Pling!" Ryder winced and glared up at the bell above the entrance door, she hated it with a passion at this moment.

"Good morning dear!" Ryder winced a second time at the old lady's loud voice and smiled a gritted smile at her.

"Hello Susie." A tall red head appeared with a shit eating smirk and Ryder's smile fell off like she'd been splashed by water in the face. She cleared her throat and nodded to him.

"Sammie." She knew she shouldn't have said anything to worsen things but she just couldn't help herself. He was handsome, and Ryder acted like another guy, using sarcasm, around handsome men. Sam poked his tongue in his inner cheek and gave her a long stare before turning and continuing his work. Ryder kinked her loins and shrugged off her tenseness, when it comes, she will handle it then.

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Well, this is the groundwork for the characters and so.

Please let me know what ya think!  
Thanks / Tilly.


	3. Chapter 3

I'm sorry for the wait, my inspiration has been long gone and this one is not as long as I would like but, they will get longer!  
I don't know much about the climate and things in LA so bear with me if I write it wrong, I'll write what I think seems possible.

Anyway, enjoy and thanks for the reviews I've gotten. They make me wanna finish this thing!

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Chapter Three.

_'Let this be the day that goes down in history'_ Ryder thought before snarling to herself and then grabbing the arm belonging to a infuriating waiter who'd been most rude to today's guests. He made a small yelp (which he later explained was very manly) and let himself be guided to the kitchen in the back. Also used as break room.

"This ends now!" Ryder snorted in her mind over how much that line sounded like it should be in a really action filled movie, before glaring at the red head in front of her who had his arms crossed menacingly.

"You better be-"

"Shush!" Sam stared at her with a perplexed look before righting himself, obviously he's never been interrupted before.

"Okey, just .. okey." She glanced up at him and took a few breaths before looking him in the eye.

"I am sorry okey. I know this whole day hasn't been about your sweather, it's the look I gave you when I came in through the door right?" Sam grumbled and glanced away before muttering "still mad about my sweather" and received a soft smile from Ryder.

"I know I overreacted, and I don't know why. It just .. comes naturally I guess." She quirked her lips and was relieved when she saw his do the same. She slowly took steps closer and spoke honestly.

"I don't want you to be mad at me. I need you to be my friend." Sam looked down at the short girl with curly hair who looked at him hopefully.

"Why do you have to be so darn cute" he grumbled and shook his head at the brilliant and embarrassed smile she gave him. He frowned at her annoyed and pointed a finger at her.

"You know you make it impossible to stay mad at you." Ryder smiled at him and looked at him earnestly and cocking her head to the side.

"I'll do anything to make things better Sam. Do you want to shove all those cakes out there in my face? I can go out and start putting them all in a line for you." Sam chuckled at the young girl in front of him who he knew would stand still and take whatever he dished at her. It felt nice to know, that he meant so much.

"Wait for me after work today, I want to take you somewhere." He smirked at her suspicious look but nodded slowly and turned to walk out to the guests again.

"Fine."

Three hours later she was standing outside on the parking lot, hands shoved deep down her pockets and lip between her teeth, waiting as Sam unlocked the vehicle for the evening.

"You expect me to get on a motorcycle? A Motorcycle Sam?" He chuckled to himself, knowing she would get on it in a matter of moments, she just needed to vent out her fear first.

"Now girlie, you're not named Ryder for nothing now are ya?" She snapped silent mid-whine and turned to him with a sneer.

"Oh, like I've never heard that one before. Men and their stupid ideas" she muttered and rolled her eyes and sighed heavily when Sam got on his bike and offered her a helmet.

"At least my head will work after we crash" she murmured as she felt the well padded helmet and grasped his waist tightly. Sam chuckled at her comment and patted the hand on is stomach. He started up and they were off with a squeal from both Ryder and the tires.

Their shift at the cafeé had ended around seven so now when the time was around eight it had started to darken a little bit, lights along the streets and through windows gave a extra thrill seeing from a motorcycle. Like she was riding with a bad ass instead of old Sammie. She giggled at the thought of telling him this but figured she was knee deep already. They drove deeper and deeper into the city and frowned when he stopped by a bright yellow car and flipped up his visor on his helmet.

"Hey Lee." A head with brown back slicked hair underneath a black knitted cap peeked out from the car window and gave Sam a smile.

"Sup' Sam? You're just in time, first race is about to start." Sam glanced back at Ryder, who was looking at Leon curiously from behind her helmet, and smirked to himself.

"I'll see ya later man, gotta show the newbie here." Leon smirked and nodded understandingly before returning to something in his car. Sam flipped down his visor and revved his bike to a loud roar, Ryder glancing to see the guy Sam called Lee shake his head with a smirk, and distantly heard Sam tell her to hold on when they sped farther in the alley and toward a narrow street with cars in every colour possible. Calls of greetings was distantly heard over the roar from the bike Sam drove through and back, for show, before stopping and laughing at Ryder who eagerly staggered from the bike.

"You maniac! Warn a girl before you do that! I am NEVER getting on that thing again, you got that!" Sam smirked at her raving form, arms flailing and glare heated, that attracted plenty of attention and took the helmet from her hands. He raised his eyebrows inquisitive.

"How do you plan on getting out of here then?" Ryder crossed her arms and absently jutted out her right hip in a intimidating move, and raised her chin.

"I'll walk" he chuckled at her, not unkindly, and spread his arms wide.

"You don't even know where you are." Ryder glanced around her, looking to the ends of the street for a sign with the streets name but found none and clenched her jaw at Sam's pleased face. She smirked at him superiorly and looked around herself dramatically.

"But you're right! How will I ever get a ride from here? You don't think I can ask somebody do you?" She glared at him and watched his eyes narrow and mouth open to sneer when they were interrupted.

"Hastings! How ya doin' man?" Ryder looked on amusedly when they did the whole manly hug thing and snorted when she felt a female presence beside her.

"Wonder if they even are aware of the fact that they are hugging exactly the same parts as they do in a regular hug?" She cocked her head to the side with a cheeky smile when Sam glared at her as if sensing her making a comment. The female beside her snorted and gave a response in a deep calm voice Ryder found strangely soothing.

"Ai chica don't tell them that or you'll be smothered in their attempts to show you what you've clearly been missing." Ryder smiled to herself and turned her head to look at the woman beside her.

"The insult in there was well hidden. I applaud you" the girl looked at her, ready to defend herself but stopped in a second of shock at Ryder's friendly smile. She was taller and older then Ryder with that Latin look a lot of girls around seemed to have. She wore a see-through shirt over a black bra that clearly showed her sleek form. When no response came, and the guys clearly still were speaking, more people involved in the conversation, Ryder stretched her hand out and nodded respectively.

"Ryder." She wasn't aware of the the hushing of conversations nor the extra looks they got, only the fact that she refused to look away from the brown eyes of the tough girl in front of her, until she felt the surprisingly soft hand join hers.

"Letty. You new around here?" Ryder shrugged and placed her left hand in her left back pocket and waved dramatically with her right hand.

"Only a few weeks, still trying to survive in this god awful heat" she ended in a southern clang and swooned her right hand to her head in a imitation of Scarlett O'Hara from _Gone With the Wind._ The girl named Letty laughed a short amused laugh and nudged Ryder friendly and by the looks of the people around, she'd done something right. She gave off a giggle and accepted Letty's offer to be introduced to her "chica in arms" as she called her. Ryder looked at Sam and nodded to Letty with a smile and walked off before he had time to speak back.

"So how'd ya meet Sam?" Ryder smiled and dug her hands down her pockets nervously.

"Ol' Sammie works at the coffee place I managed to get employment, stupid lady only gave it to me cause I "reminded her of her dog", who's still alive!" Ryder sneered friendly at Letty who snorted loudly and laughed.

"Shut up!" Ryder laughed and shoved at her.

"The woman's horrible, she just looked at me with that, you know that smile old people has, when you feel a little spooked if you don't really know them?-" Letty nodded amused "-and said: "You remind me of my precious Bessy" and I was like, "Oh, how sweet!" and then she points at a goddamn gray haired little poodle which were sloshing through it's dinner bowl!" Letty let out a loud guffaw and leaned against a close by car and pointed at Ryder's face, talking to herself incoherently, probably about the face Ryder'd given during the story.

"Hey Let, you aight?" A gruff voice said beside her, and Ryder looked up at with a amused smile from looking at Letty who was starting to calm down with small silent laughs in between breaths.

"Yeah, I'm fine V. This girl here just cracks me up" she laughed another few laughs before smiling at them with a shake of the head. Tall and broad was all Ryder could think when she looked at the guy who was staring at her rather stonily. He was wearing two tank tops over his chest, rather thin bands over his shoulders so you could see how broad they were and massive arms with tattoos covering them. A pair of dark blue jeans and striking blue-gray eyes. His jaw was covered with scruffy beard and his hair was brown and unruly, that famous 'just got out of bed' look.

"V, meet Ryder. Ryder this is Vince, V." Ryder nodded to him and held her hand out, looking at him impassively. He stared down her eyes before slowly trailing his eyes up and down her body, taking in the modest jeans and converse, quirking his lips over the fact that they were brown and still in good shape from obvious long term use, to her pale yellow cotton tank top with the lace from her innocent white bra peeking out and her pale blue jean jacket. Ryder kept her eyes on his face, her frown deepening the slower his gaze traveled and the more unease she felt to his silence.

"You done? I'm pretty sure I have the same body parts most women here" she snapped and heard Letty snort as his eyes shot up to her with a glare.

"You're just a girl" he growled and walked off, glaring at Letty's amused smirk. Ryder lowered her forgotten arm and rolled her eyes.

"Men, can't live with them, can't live without them" Letty snarked and smirked at Ryder's deep consenting sigh before she heard Letty call out to a approaching girl.

"Hey, Mia! Come here girl." Ryder looked up at the familiar girl and smiled.

"Fruit loops" she smiled and the girl smiled brilliantly and flashed purely white teeth.

"Hello toothpaste ad" she mumbled and smiled at Letty's quiet laugh.

"Supermarket girl, how are you?" she asked and Ryder was shocked when the girl leaned to embrace her in a hug. She smiled though at the friendly face and shrugged noncommittal.

"It's alright, never getting on a motorcycle again for the rest of my life but other then that" she smiled at the girls who nodded their agreement for two different reasons.

"I hear ya sister, prefer being the one behind the wheel" Letty started,

"I know, hate what it does to my hair" Mia continued at the same time and Ryder glanced between the two girls with a shaking head.

"Hello ladies-" the familiar vice of Sam said behind her and smirked at the three girls "-you taking care of my little newbie?" Ryder gaped insulted and swung around to hand him a piece of her mind when she was met with three more pairs of eyes. She looked between the three and smiled at the first blue pair of twinkling eyes, nodded at the second pair of brown eyes who showed neither friendly nor hostiles and then lastly glared at the, now, gray eyes of Vince. Sam and the girls looked between Vince and Ryder amusedly until the big burly brown eyed man cleared his throat.

"This is Dominick Toretto, Ryder. Dom, meet Ryder Mann" Sam introduced. Ryder slowly stretched her hand out, expecting the same reaction as Vince but grasped the hand that was swallowing her own whole.

"Nice to meet you, Ryder Mann was it?" he said in a deep voice. Somehow Ryder got the impression that he wanted her to confirm the name so he could memorize it in the back of his head, rather then being politely inquisitive. She nodded and looked him over quickly. Huge, was a understatement, he was like two of her in width, all muscles, and two of her in length. It was a bit alarming, reminding her of her father when he towered over her. She jumped away from him at that thought and fought to ignore the calculating look in his eyes, and turned to the friendly blue eyes.

"I'm Brian, need no introducer, and I'm Mia's boyfriend. I heard you were the one to help my girl at the supermarket, thank you." Ryder smiled as she saw the adoration the two held for each other and shrugged.

"Apparently I wasn't as convincing as a lesbian as I thought so you really should thank that army looking guy-"

"Harry" Mia supplied and smiled at Ryder. Ryder snapped her fingers and pointed in a way to say _"That was his name!"_

"You act just like a militant lesbian though girl, all hostile and like a bitch" Vince sneered malevolently and smirked at her shocked face before he was stormed at by Sam and silenced by the big form of Dom.

The silence hung in the air and after a peek at Sam she knew it was time for them to depart for a while. She turned to the girls first and said goodbye, then smiling at Brian and Dom.

"It was nice meeting you, Brian, Dom, hope to see you some other time. Come on Sammie, I need some hunka love" she burst out in laughter the second she said it and walked off with Sam rolling his eyes at the giggling girls.

The night slowly progressed, Sam walking around and talking to both guys and girls, most girls hanging off his shoulders and cooing over him. Ryder was leaning against a bright blue car hood and staring at all the amusing activity. Guys trying to impress girls, girls hanging over guys with all of their attributes hanging out. She felt somebody stop behind her so she smiled and shook her head with a small amused frown.

"Haven't these girls ever heard of "If you give the milk for free, who's gonna want the cow?" which is a bad analogy now when I think about it. It's degrading to women, even in analogy we're called cows" she turned her head to the side to glance behind her and her small smile died instantly. She clenched her jaw and looked straight forward, rigid back when she heard him snort.

"What's the matter, Sammie left you all alone when he saw the thousands of better pieces of ass" he sneered at her and smirked when she shifted further away from him as he took a seat.

"First of all, I'm the only one allowed to call him Sammie, or maybe you want to get to know him a little better-" she glanced down at his crotch and felt her cheeks blush traitorously and looked away from him "-and if he found anyone that makes him happy, I'll be happy too." She smiled when she saw their subject staggering under the weight of a big burly man, who was sloshing around with his bottle, Sam shaking at the head leaning on his shoulder and glancing Ryder's way just as she turned to hear Vince speak.

"I wonder what you had to do, to be the only one calling him that?" He smirked widely at her jerk and watched her stand to shove at him.

"You are a big fuck-"

"Cops!!" they heard several whistles and calls and Ryder frowned confused. Vince just stood up and walked to the car they'd been leaning on and opened the door to see her just standing there, looking around confused. He glanced toward Sam who was looking around for his bike and nodded to him when they got eye contact.

"Get in the car" he said and rolled his eyes at the frown on her face.

"Get in the car girl before the cops show!" On instinct she went for the look in his eyes and turned to jump in the car and missed the pleased half smirk Vince's face showed.

Let's just say that the night ended with her escaping riding behind Sam on that god awful bike.

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So? What ya think? I feel like I've started to regain my writing inspiration again but still need encouraging. Let me know what ya think!  
Thanks//Tilly 


	4. Chapter 4

Hey everybody!

I am so sorry about the wait (if you've been waiting) but here it is. It's not as long as I'd like to but I seem to go through this desert in my mind when it comes to ideas.  
You guys are scary, I'm trying to keep you guys interested and it would be so bad if I were to disappoint you.  
And I really don't want to disappoint you:)

Anyway, here it is! Hope you like. :)

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Chapter four.

"You're an idiot! Just cause you told me to get in the car, which by the way; **never tell me what to do!**, does not mean you're 'my knight in shining armour'!" She slammed the blue car door, gave the driver a last glare, and stormed up to the lively house. She looked around exasperated trying to find Sam in the crowded dissaray.

It seemed lika an impossible feat unless you thought like Ryder.

Sam had red hair, flaming red hair, and was a guy. Not a common combination.

She still hadn't found him ten minutes later so she fished up her cell phone from her pocket, scolding herself for not thinking of it immediatly, and scrolled down to 'Sammie', almost passing it when she was pushed and grunted in annoyance. She glared up and found a smirking Vince before he looked down at a girl who'd magnetised towards him and slanted herself against his arm.

She glanced around herself again as she placed her phone to her ear and found Brian and Mia cooing at each other on the couch, Brian with a small frown, Letty was lying, too close in Ryders opinion, in front of the tv and playing some car game. Vince was furthest in to the room and had the same girl on his arm and three laid out in front of him, pretending to hear his guitar stringing over the obnoxiously lous music.

She was so intent on looking at Vince that she failed to notice that Sam had answered the phone and was screaming rather panicky over the fact that Ryder hadn't spoken.

"Ryder?!" She snapped to attention and immediatly started to apologize profusely.

"Where are you?" She looked around at the people again, noticing their familiarity with the surroundings.

"I think I'm at one of the people's house, you know Letty and them." There was a slight mumble before she heard him speak to her again.

"Who are there?" Ryder answered obediantly and glanced at Brian and Mia again.

"Everybody seems pretty relaxed except for Brian who has a small frown- Hey!" she looked around herself again and distantly heard Sam mumble something about his eardrums.

"That big guy isn't here, you know that REALLY big guy. I hope he's okey." She leaned back against the wall by the stairs and heard Sam snicker at her description.

"He's fine, I'm sure." She heard a scuffle and frowned.

"How do you know?" She was sure she imagined the slight echo the reciever gave.

"He's Dom, he's always alright."

"That's gotta be tough for him-" when she only encountered silence she hurried along "-I mean IF it were t happen, not only will he just get caught, he's gonna get more scorn cause of that belief. Not only sorry he got caught, he's kind of supposed to get embarassed cause HE got caught." There was a long deep silence before Sam spoke in slow words.

"You always babble when you're nervous, you okey?" Ryder sighed and rubbed her forehead as she slumped further against the wall.

"Yeah. Just get here, I'm worried."

"On the way girlie." Ryder smiled tiredly and hung up, all of nights activity catching up on her and making her sag further on the wall. She jumped in fright when she felt somebody right beside her. She reieved a snort and a deep chuckle in responce and she looked up into a pair of sparkling brown eyes. She cocked her head to the side and searched his looks until she spotted his knitted hat.

"You're the guy in the yellow car right?" His smile got a little chillier at the sight of her smiling face. He nodded.

"I admire you for the colour, yellow is bright." He snorted at the obvious statement and scanned her up and down.

"You a chaser?"

"Of what?" He laughed out loud at her quick answer and confused smile.

"Are you laughing at me?" she asked with an amused undertone and narrowed her eyes playfully.

"Cause if you are, we're gonna need some bandates." He gave her a raised eyebrow in question.

"I'll throttle you." She smiled sweetly causing him to chuckle again and shake his head.

"I'm laughing with you" he said sweetly and Ryder smiled and bit her lip at how innocent he looked when he smiled.

"Who are you? I mean-" she amended when she saw him raise his eyebrow again "-what's your name?"

"Leon Galietti at your service." She smiled to herself.

"I could use some water." He snorted. She took that as a no.

"What about you then missy?" Ryder smiled, a small quirk of the lips, and raised her chin haughtily.

"My name, sir, is Ryder Mann." As a part of her character, she extended her hand with the back of it raised to him with, and gave a startled jump and snapped her eyes open when he laid a kiss upon it.

"Well well, I see you move on quickly. Sam not enough for ya'?" Ryder turned with her patented glare she used for such comments but hesitated when she saw that Vince had his own death-glare directed upon Leon.

"Sup' man?" Leon glanced at the beer-bottle Vince was holding loosely between his thumb and forefinger and then at Ryder in the corner of his eye, who hadn't spotted it.

"What do you want?" She crossed her arms and stared at Vince head on, getting a raised eyebrow from Leon who compared the two different statues. Vince chuckled amused, as if she were a little kid, and raised his bottle for a drink. Ryder took a step back unconsciously and Vince turned to Leon, ignoring Ryder.

"What ya' doin' here man?" Ryder twitched at the emphasis of the word 'here' with a look to her.

"Get in there, get some ass." Ryder sneered disgusted at Vince and looked away as Leon raised a hand to rub the back of his neck nervously.

"I'm not up for it tonight dude." Vince leered happily, took another sip and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Ask them to help you with that then, they'll help alright." Ryder was close to gagging by now.

"You're disgusting!" Both men turned to her, Vince with a small smirk and Leon hesitantly with his hand still on his neck.

"If you heard anybody talk about Mia or Letty this way, would you just slap them on the back and chuckle 'good luck'?" At sight of their impending anger and question as to who she meant she nodded victoriously.

"Exactly. I can't believe the neanderthal brains you are, I mean- Sammy!" She left her tirade without a moments pause when she caught red hair entering the house in the corner of her eye, and launched herself to his arms and embraced him. Sam hugged her back and a tremor of relief finally passed through his body and made him relax.

"You okey?" he mumbled into her hair and Ryder nodded, neighter stepping away from the other, needing the physical reassurance, but were forced to step away to make room for Dom's imposing figure. He barged in, not giving Ryder or Sam a moments thought and glanced around until he met eyes with Brian in the sofa who seemed to sag down in his seat with a loss of tension and relief.

"I tried calling you-" he nodded in greeting "-but the line was off, I couldn't reach you." Dom, who stood as an imposing figure with his massive arms crossed over his chest, merely nodded and looked around the now some what calmer but still lively livingroom.

Letty had risen to her feet, Leon and Vince stopped their glares and somewhat bickering, Mia was looking at her brother with a small pelutant frown and Sam and Ryder had drifted a few steps further from each other. Ryder was looking at her feet with her arms around her as if to protect her mounting guilt.

"You guys having fun? Good." He didn't wait for an answer when he looked at them, just continued coolly but the surpressed anger was unmistakeable.

"At least you had fun." Ryder glanced up at him and saw Vince in the corner of her eye, staring at Dom stonily while Leon was looking at Dom apologetic with a small piece of wonderment how truly upset Dom seemed to be. Letty was shuffeling her feet and staring at a point right over Doms shoulder and Ryder zoned in on her feet again, feeling truly guilty even though she couldn't have done anything.

"Noone in my own team seemes to worry about me-" there was a touch of question "-and Sam were the one to save my ass. At least some were worried, but you all just went here and partied?" Ask everyone else who were present and they would answer how Dominic Toretto disciplined his team on how to not leave a man behind, but the team itself and Ryser could clearly see and hear the hurt and incredulous tone.

He stared at each of them in turn; Mia, Letty, Vince, Leon and then giving Brian and Sam a nod each to then exit out to the kitchen where he, Ryder presumed, continued by grabbing a bottle of beer. Ryder glance up at Sam, who'd stepped closer so he stood just behind her, and smiled to his smirk as the party continued as if the whole scene had been a daily occurence.

"I told you-" Ryder frowned and saw Sams eyes slowely show amusement "-that I wanted to take you somewhere. Typhical you to get more then usual." Ryder stared at him for a few seconds before she rolled her eyes at his dry humour and just gave his arm a small slap.

He nodded his head to outside and murmured for them to go. Ryder nodded and gave Mia a small wave as she glanced away from Brian.

"You've had a good night? Vince took care of you?" Ryder nodded and dug her hands down her front pockets and looked straight ahead as she followed his lead.

"Yeah. I had a good time." She gave a small smile before sighing at thought of the big brute.

"Yes, Vince drove me here. Feel a bit bad about Dom though." Sam frowned at her.

"Why?" Ryder gave him a confused glance and he clarified; about Dom.

"I didn't even remember him when Vince and I got here, I mean I took his place in Vince's car-" Sam snorted rudely and shook his head as he glared out in the night.

"Vince wouldn't remember Dom. He's to single minded to think that Dom would need a hand. None of them are like they used to." Ryder bit her lip and looked up at him as she shuffled her feet.

"You said yourself _'He's always alright'_." Sam poked his innercheek with his tongue but Ryder beat him to speak by frowning at the car in front of them.

"I'm getting back here later, and you didn't like the bike" Sam murmured and Ryder smiled shyly in responce.

"I'd rather take the bike." She glanced away self-consciously when he didn't give off a responce, but smiled when he nudged her under her chin affectionally.

"It's right over here." Both were silent thrugh the whole way back and when Ryder gave him a extra squeeze time to time, eighter Sam didn't notice or maybe he understood, he didn't mention it.

"I had fun, I really did." Ryder smiled at Sam and gave him the helmet she'd been wearing. Sam snorted and smirked at her shy demeanor and curled a lock of her hair to behind her ear.

"See you tomorrow Ry." She smiled brightly at the nickname and walked up to her door.

The familiar numbers gleaming on the dark oak '138' and Ryder smiled a true smile of content.

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Well? Horse shit or maybe just plain manure? 

I'd be even happier if it was something green Review please!

//Tilly


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